Do You Have the Expertise to be a Big Data Project Manager?

Are you one of those project management professionals inclined to handle big data proposals? Having a strong project management background would add excellent support to your aspirations. However, for setting up a big data project team, you don’t just need good project management skills. You also need to supersize the experience and proficiency that you already have and continually work on improving your skills.

Let’s take a quick glimpse at some of the key tasks you should be comfortable with in order to succeed as a big data project manager.

Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams

Big data project teams can draw references from cross-functional teams like engineering, data operations and business intelligence. You need to work closely with a variety of teams to enhance your project management skills and acquaint yourself with a project’s requirements.

Injecting your own interim management skills

It is a good practice for you to bring in your own interim management skills and establish the fundamental tools and methodologies for your project team. This involves the use of certain standardized processes and tools to drive change and encourage individual development. By doing this, you will ensure the project goals are met.

Encouraging professional development through team training

It is of prime importance for professionals in the IT industry to stay updated about the latest happenings in the data-driven universe. You need to encourage professional development and mentor your team in the realm of big data by spotting their skills gaps.

Work to figure out ways to bridge these gaps by imparting the necessary training, which can either be free or paid. This would foster greater expertise, and encourage continuous education and professional development within the team. Be sure to measure the performance of each team member to ensure your training has made an impact both on the project and their professional development.

Another way to accomplish this is by encouraging team members to become big data specialists by writing blog posts on the topic.

Refreshing the key elements of project management

While your big data project matures, remember not to deviate from your project management basics to fulfill administrative expectations. A strong big data project manager is one who enhances the foundational skills of their team members (i.e., developers) and encourages them to do their best work while expanding their knowledge base and technical skill set. Remember, your task as a project manager is not just to manage executive leadership expectations, but also to nourish and promote talent within your team members and ensure that they utilize the best practices in big data technology for the project.

Big data project management: a field in demand

With the hustle and bustle of new projects, the realm of big data offers a wide array of opportunities for experienced project managers. Big data project managers nurture a project team to work in coordination with each other while using the new, emerging technologies and business practices for successful project delivery. This area will only increase in the next several years, as data’s importance continues to skyrocket.